Hope and HolinessSample

Do You Not Know?— Union with Christ: The Apex of the Gospel

Key Question: How does knowing your body is united to Christ enable and empower sexual purity?

“We are not our own but are joined body and soul to Christ. Paul’s argument is quite explicit. He suggests an unthinkable reality. Paul is arguing that the Corinthian believers are so closely united with Christ that all who visit prostitutes are actually taking Christ’s body and joining it to the body of a prostitute!

Elsewhere in Scripture, we see that whatever is done to the believer is also done to Christ. For example, in Acts 9:4–5, Jesus asks Paul (Saul) on the Damascus Road,

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Who was Saul persecuting? Believers! His actions constituted a violent persecution of Christ Himself. Christ is so closely united to His people that whatever is done to them is done to Him.

That is not the end of it. Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 6:15–17 that Christ and His people are so closely united that Christ is joined in their actions! When the believer participates in sexual immorality, they are taking Christ’s members (body) and joining them to that which is impure, defiled, and unholy (i.e., in the context of taking Christ’s body and joining Him to a prostitute’s body). Such blasphemy is unthinkable!

Do you know that your body is united to Christ—that you are a “member of Christ, joined to the Lord?”

Prayer: Grant to us, heavenly Father, the sure knowledge of our union with Christ that we may be enabled and empowered to live according to your commandments through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.